


2 AM Blanket Forts

by orphan_account



Category: Supernatural
Genre: Alternate Universe - High School, Childhood Friends, Fluff, M/M, One Shot, References to Child Abuse, john winchester is terrible
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-10-05
Updated: 2014-10-05
Packaged: 2018-02-19 22:45:44
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,326
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2405636
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>It's typical - John is drunk, Dean was protecting Sammy. It's been a few years since he's traveled down the street to Castiel's house for comfort, but Dean can't take it anymore.</p>
            </blockquote>





	2 AM Blanket Forts

Dean takes the punch. It was aimed for Sam, but his brother is pretty tall, so it still connects with his jaw. He sees a flash of white and hears a scuffling sound, followed by a thud. He realizes that the thud is John, body slumped over on the floor. The scuffling is Sam trying to hold up Dean's weight, the older Winchester's knees wobbling. Straightening himself out, Dean turns and looks at Sam - his little brother, tears on his cheeks and a kind of sadness that shouldn't be in a fourteen-year-old's eyes. Dean tries to smile, but it hurts because of his jaw. 

"Dean?" Sam's voice cracks, and he leans forward to embrace his brother.

"It's gonna be okay, Sammy. I'm not gonna leave, okay? I'd never leave you with this bastard."

"Right." He sniffles, burying his face further into the cloth of Dean's shirt. "I miss Mom."

Dean tries not to flinch at the words. "You should go to bed. You have a test tomorrow, right?"

"Yeah."

"Okay, let's go." Dean leads his brother to their shared bedroom of the shitty apartment they're staying in. After the fire, John had just moved his boys from apartment to apartment, rental to rental. They hadn't had a real home in six years. Parts of Dean wanted to get the hell out and go to Bobby's; he could get a job there, and bring Sam, too. But if that happens, Sam would have to change schools again, and he actually likes where he is now. They've been in this school district for three years, and Sam actually has  _friends_. They're massive nerds, but Dean likes them well enough. He never made any friends of his own. Dean was more of a loner-type, content to stick to himself and stay away from the crowds. He never found anyone worth getting friendly with, anyway - the last person he could consider being a friend was Castiel, and he hadn't talked to Cas much in the three years since he and Sam had changed school districts. But he and Castiel had promised to always be there for each other, no matter what - and Dean needed someone like that right now. 

After checking that Sam is safe in bed and John is too drunk to be waking up anytime soon, Dean walks out the door and down the short flight of stairs to the parking lot. He unlocks the car, not stopping to admire it like he usually does - he's too busy thinking about how he can possibly explain what happened in those last three years. What if he had moved? Or he started locking the window to his bedroom? No, he hadn't; even after changing schools, Dean had visited multiple times in the last couple of years. Sometimes he turned back before he could scale the tree and knock on Castiel's window, but other times he did just go ahead and do it. Cas always let him in. 

Sometimes they talked, but most of the time Dean would just walk in and fall asleep on the other boy's bed, finally letting tears run down his face. Cas never asked, partly because Dean usually told him not to. Other times, Dean would spill everything about what was happening. It had been around ten months since he had visited the Novak residence, but he still remembered the street. It was his own old street, the one his house had burned on. He and the Novak kids had been playmates, but Cas was his best friend. They knew everything about each other - their parents always thought it was kind of funny at how close they were. Dean missed that closeness.

There were other things about Cas that he missed, too. Like getting to ruffle the dark brown hair on his head when he really just wanted to run his fingers through the soft strands. Or maybe staring into his eyes for a bit longer than could be considered normal. Dean wished he could get to listen to him talk, watching the words form and fall from his pink lips. Reading with him, laughing over dumb jokes, building blanket forts. Just... Cas. 

Dean had known for awhile that he liked Castiel. Imagining everything they used to do together wasn't uncommon, and it seemed like there was an empty space around Dean that couldn't be filled by anyone else. 

Ten months is a really long time. And Dean knows that ten months is gong to be nothing compared to the rest of his life, because Cas undoubtedly got into some fancy-ass college thousands of miles away from here. He would move on and get a degree and be a doctor or a lawyer and get married and have a family and forget about everything that happened, and the thoughts keep crashing around in Dean's skull until he finally pulls up on the familiar road. He parks on the street, turning off the car and stepping out into the night. It's cloudy and drizzling a little bit, and all Dean can think is that he's cold and it's probably not cold in Castiel's house. He walks around the back porch to the old willow tree, climbing it with less ease than he remembered. He'd bulked up a little bit in the past months from working at the auto shop, and he worried for a second about whether the tree limbs could hold his weight. Dean crawls carefully out to the longest branch extending to the second-story window. Dean taps on it three times, waiting for it to open. Or maybe not. 

The curtain is pulled away, revealing a very tired-looking Castiel. He rubs his face, eyes widening when he realizes who the boy waiting outside for him is. Cas unlatches the window, pushing it open and pulling Dean inside. Dean is slightly wet from the rain outside, but the warmth he feels when Cas grabs him is instantaneous. Dean hears the window shut and lets the other boy pull the damp sweatshirt from his shoulders, taking off his own shoes and socks. Cas drapes a blanket over his shoulders, sitting down beside him under the window. Lightning flashes, illuminating the room for a moment, and Dean can finally see his friend. He looks different - his hair is shorter, but still messy. Features sharper and more defined, except for the lips, of course. There are dark circles under his eyes, something Dean hadn't noticed being there before. He's taller, too, and stronger (apparently) from the way that he lifted Dean into the room with such ease. 

"Hello, Dean." _Voice is deeper too,_ Dean thought. 

"Hey, Cas." He tries to ignore the broken sound his voice makes on the other boy's name. 

"You have a bruise on your jaw."

"Yeah."

Dean can feel the heat of Castiel's eyes on him, raising his head to meet his glance. Except Cas doesn't look as intense as Dean remembers - he just looks sad. 

"What do you need, Dean?"

Dean thinks for a second, wondering what he actually needs. A hug, for one thing. Pie would be nice. A loving father is also on the list. But the first thing that comes to mind: "Blanket fort."

"What?"

"Cas. You asked me what I need. Do you remember when we were kids? We built so many fucking blanket forts. And I need to build one right now, at -" Dean looked at his wrist, checking the clock "- two in the morning."

Castiel tilts his head to the side before standing and helping Dean up, scanning the bedroom for supplies. The Novaks are ridiculously wealthy, so Castiel's room is about as big as Dean's entire home. There's a sofa, several beanbags, and multiple blankets and quilts scattered around on various pieces of furniture. They align the two fluffy army chairs with the side of the bed, dragging down cushions from the sofa to make the hardwood floor seem a bit softer. Dean drags a blanket over the chairs and adds several over the cushions, effectively building the fort. It's puny, and will only cover them down to their knees. Dean doesn't care though - it's like he's ten years old again and he gleefully climbs into the fort, pulling a blanket over his body and gesturing for Cas to follow.

The blue-eyed boy sighs before entering, pulling the blanket up to his chin. They're side-by-side, cramped together and warm, and maybe it's a little awkward but Dean doesn't give a single shit because this is it. This is what he needed. He just needed  _Cas_ , and here he is, willing to build a fort at 2 fucking AM and practically cuddle with Dean, considering how squished they are in this tiny fort. And Dean realizes that he feels happier than he has in months - just a few minutes with a friend has made him feel like he's on top of the world instead of stuck in Hell, and he would kiss Castiel if he could. But he can't. 

Maybe.

If Cas remembers, then maybe he can. 

"Hey, Cas."

"Hello, Dean."

"Do you, um... do you remember the last time we built one of these?" Dean listens to thunder roar outside, the rain getting louder as it pounds down against the brick. 

"Yes, I do."

"What do you remember?"

Cas pauses, flicking his eyes over to Dean. He huffs a breath out before continuing. 

"We were ten. We built it at your house, and it was magnificent. It was a snow-day from school, and your mother made hot chocolate. Sam tried to help, but he accidentally made a cushion fall over and you became very distressed." Cas smiles at the memory, giving Dean a fond look before continuing. "We watched several Disney films afterwards. Gabriel picked me up. It is a very nice memory that I have, Dean."

Dean gulps before asking his next question. Wondering if what this leads to will drive Castiel closer or farther away. "Do you remember the other thing that happened? Cas?"

Castiel shifts slightly, and Dean swears that he can see a blush on his cheeks when lightning flashes and lets light into the room. "Yes."

"What do you remember?"

"You told me you wanted to try something, but I had to close my eyes. And then you kissed me for precisely four seconds."

Dean sits up slightly, letting the blanket fall from his shoulders. He turns on his side to face Cas, feeling his heart beating loud enough that he fears it's audible to everyone else in the entire house. Cas tilts his head to face the other boy, expression unreadable.

"Cas, I - uh... I want to try something."

Castiel looks away, and Dean can  _definitely_ see a blush in his face this time. He shuts his eyes, and Dean's breath catches when he sees Cas like this. He looks peaceful and serene, tension gone from his body. Dean leans over him, pushing a few strands of dark hair away from his forehead, stroking a thumb across his cheekbone. He's terrified. No, no. no - he can't do this.  _But he wants to._ It's all that he wants, but he can't do it - he can't lose his one friend over something as simple as - 

"Dean."

"What?" The question comes out sharper than Dean intended and Cas opens his eyes, squinting at the boy leaning over him. 

"You're taking too long."

"What? I'm not!"

Castel sighs, looking annoyed as he pulls Dean down by the front of his still-damp shirt. Dean doesn't close his eyes right away - he can't do anything for the first few seconds, because Castiel is kissing him. Warm, chapped lips brush against his own, his tongue gently sweeping across Dean's mouth. Dean just hovers there, doing nothing. Castiel moves on from his lips to softly mouthing at his sore jaw, even pausing to nip at the soft skin next to his pulse point. When Dean finally comes to his senses again, he gently slides his fingers into Castiel's hair and pulls his head back down, meeting the other boy's lips again and actually participating in this kiss. Dean wastes no time in opening his lips and letting Castiel explore, tracing Dean's mouth with his tongue. Dean sighs softly as Cas pulls back for air, biting at his bottom lip and placing another kiss there to soften the gesture.

Dean stops, staring down at Castiel's still form beneath him. His arm is tired from holding himself up, but he wants to continue with this activity very much. Cas does too, apparently, as he rolls them both over, causing one wall of the fort to topple. Neither boy seems to mind, Dean more interested in slipping his hands under Castiel's shirt and Cas far more entertained with climbing into Dean's lap and doing obscene things with his tongue. Castiel lets one of his hands drift up to brush through Dean's short hair, the other playing with the hem of the other boy's shirt. Dean moves downward, softly sucking at Castiel's exposed neck and collarbones. Cas lets a breathy sigh escape his lips at the kissing, and Dean couldn't help softly laughing at the noise.

"What?" Cas demanded, sitting up. 

"Nothing. You're just really amazing."

Cas squints before letting his lips brush against Dean's one more time, sitting back completely and pulling Dean up with him as he stands.

"This really amazing person has an English Essay to write tomorrow, so I do need some sleep. Come on, Dean."

Dean climbs into the soft bed, pulling the sheets over his head and letting Cas circle his arms around his shoulders. Dean wraps around Castiel, enjoying the warmth and the soft sound of rain pattering outside. 

"Dean?"

"Hmm?"

"Come do this again soon. And just... talk. To me. When you do. If you do. Please." He stops talking, stroking Dean's fingers with his own. "I've missed you."

Dean gently smiles against Castiel's chest, holding onto the fabric tighter. "I missed you too, Cas."

**Author's Note:**

> just some fluffy drabbles...  
> hope you liked it and thanks for reading!  
> feedback always appreciated~


End file.
